Thursday, November 21, 2013

UPDATE: More on Rosebush at the Air Force Academy

Below is a joint statement from Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning and General Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff on the USAFA personnel matter for your use:

"The Air Force is comprised of a rich workforce whose backgrounds reflect various races, origins, orientations, ethnicities, languages, cultures and life experiences. We promote an atmosphere of inclusion throughout our ranks and strive to ensure every Airman is treated with dignity and respect. If we fail to do that, at any level on the team, we break faith with our core values that hold us together.

The Air Force Academy and its leadership are looking into the personnel matter and are keeping us updated. We have the utmost confidence in [academy superintendent] Lt Gen [Michelle] Johnson's ability to lead her organization."

——————————————ORIGINAL POST, NOV. 21, 2013, 2:15 P.M.———————————————————
The Air Force Academy has issued a new statement regarding its conversion therapist Dr. Mike Rosebush, saying cadets told senior leaders they feel "frustrated" at the news coverage and that they actually receive "extensive support" at the academy.

From the release:

Regarding the allegations saying the Air Force's Academy not being [sic] a
welcoming place for LGBQ cadets, The Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen.
Michelle D. Johnson, along with the Commandant of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Gregory
Lengyel, and the Dean of the Faculty, Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost, and Dr.
Hans Mueh (Brig. Gen, ret.) Athletic Director recently met with Spectrum,
the Academy's affinity group for LGBQ cadets.

In that forum, the cadets expressed to Academy leaders that they are proud
to be in the Air Force and do not feel like the Air Force Academy culture
inhibits them in any way. Rather, they expressed their concerns about the
media reports and how those reports may affect the decision of young
Americans to attempt to come to the Academy.

One attendee at the forum was Air Force Capt. Michelle L. Reinstatler, an
Instructor, Department of English and Fine Arts, and the Officer in Charge
of Spectrum.

"During the forum with leadership, the cadets of Spectrum expressed multiple
times that the Academy is a safe and validating place to be LGBQ," Capt.
Reinstatler said. "Several cadets have told me they are frustrated with the
articles disparaging USAFA; these articles do not take into account the
extensive support our LGBQ cadets have received from Academy leadership or
the reality of the Academy's inclusive environment."

So far, academy Superintendent Johnson has yet to issue any kind of statement regarding Rosebush, whose title is operations research analyst for the Academy's Center of Character and Leadership Development.

The founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, Mikey Weinstein, cried foul over the characterization of what cadets told senior leaders, saying clients at the academy who have contacted him say Spectrum members were too "terrified" to be honest with them. They also noted to him that those senior leaders, while they may have attended an occasional program for LGBQ military members, hadn't met with Spectrum specifically until now. "Why are they doing this now?" Weinstein quoted one as saying. "It came across as, 'We need you to prop us up on this.'"

Meantime, although the academy has said Rosebush has no contact with cadets and doesn't counsel cadets, the Independent obtained the listing for him in the Air Force's Global Address List, which names him as "chief, coaching development."

Here it is:

We're withholding his phone number and e-mail address.

Although this makes it sound as if Rosebush has a role in dealing directly with cadets, we've asked the academy to clarify and will update if and when we hear back. In the meantime, the full release is included after the jump, along with a PDF of the "Character Coaching Manual" with which Rosebush works.

Dr. Mike Rosebush is an Operations Research Analyst for the Academy's Center
of Character and Leadership Development. He analyzes and evaluates the
effectiveness of USAFA's "Character & Leadership 101: Foundations of
Honorable Living - MOSAIC Personalized Coaching Experience" course. He
began work at the Center in 2011, after working for two years as an analyst
in the Academy's Plans and Programs office. He was hired for his background
in leadership development and analytical skills.

In his current capacity, Dr Rosebush has been involved with the design and
execution of MOSAIC Personalized Coaching. The MOSAIC program develops
growth in areas related directly to the Air Force's Core Values and the Air
Force's institutional Leadership Competencies, to include Respect for Human
Dignity, Humility, Duty, Honesty, Care for Others, Taking Care of People,
etc. The Academy's Mosaic program is based on best practices from executive
coaching in industry and academia. The program has been validated by the
Jon C. Dalton Institute on College Student Values, earning its 2013 Best
Practices Award, and has generated requests by outside corporate agencies
for application to their organizations.

Attached you will find the MOSAIC Program Manual which explains how
character coaching is conducted at USAFA, with an emphasis on living
honorably, lifting others to their best possible selves, and elevating
performance toward a common and noble purpose.

Regarding the allegations saying the Air Force's Academy not being a
welcoming place for LGBQ cadets, The Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen.
Michelle D. Johnson, along with the Commandant of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Gregory
Lengyel, and the Dean of the Faculty, Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost, and Dr.
Hans Mueh (Brig. Gen, ret.) Athletic Director recently met with Spectrum,
the Academy's affinity group for LGBQ cadets.

In that forum, the cadets expressed to Academy leaders that they are proud
to be in the Air Force and do not feel like the Air Force Academy culture
inhibits them in any way. Rather, they expressed their concerns about the
media reports and how those reports may affect the decision of young
Americans to attempt to come to the Academy.

One attendee at the forum was Air Force Capt. Michelle L. Reinstatler, an
Instructor, Department of English and Fine Arts, and the Officer in Charge
of Spectrum.

"During the forum with leadership, the cadets of Spectrum expressed multiple
times that the Academy is a safe and validating place to be LGBQ," Capt.
Reinstatler said. "Several cadets have told me they are frustrated with the
articles disparaging USAFA; these articles do not take into account the
extensive support our LGBQ cadets have received from Academy leadership or
the reality of the Academy's inclusive environment."